Dyche: I'll Take A Cup Run

Sean Dyche would be happy for the Clarets to dovetail an FA Cup run with their exciting Premier League campaign.

The Clarets boss, who reached the semi-final as a player with Chesterfield, admitted the cup still carries an “emotional attachment”.

And ahead of the third round trip to Sunderland on Saturday, Dyche insists he will pick a team that he feels can progress in the competition.

He said: “The FA Cup present a different challenge. People speak about it being a break from the norm, which I guess it is, but it’s still a Premier League club we face and we want to go and get through to the next round.

“I look back on my own journey and we got close to winning it, so it can happen. It’s a tough journey to go all the way, but everyone goes out with the intention of that and that’s sometimes overlooked.

“We might well make changes, but that is not doing the cup down. We feel we have a more rounded squad and one that can win games.

“There is still an emotional attachment that comes with the cup and, for sure, if we can get a cup run, we’ll take it.”

Joey Barton in third round action for the Clarets at Middlesbrough last season

Dyche, who could hand a second debut to January signing Joey Barton at The Stadium of Light, added: “So many times, it’s frustrating to read how some media outlets describe ‘doing the FA Cup down’.

“It’s not that at all. There’s just a very obvious, unbelievable differential, from a business point of view, that people seem to forget.

“But equally there’s that emotional attachment. Most English and British managers grew up around the FA Cup, knowing about its history.

“Some of the European managers I know also speak highly of it, because they grew up watching a lot of English football.

“So, it’s a nice way of putting it that although business-wise it doesn’t touch the Premier League and the riches that come with it, emotionally the FA Cup brings glory and a special feeling, while the runs are good for fans.”

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